Two prolific criminals have been jailed and given court orders banning them from town centre shops on their release.

James Thompson, 37, of Station Inn, Maryport, was jailed today after burgling two shops in the town in the early hours of yesterday.

Thompson stole £200 in a raid at Handmade by You in Curzon Street, before committing a second burglary at West Lakes Embroidery in Senhouse Street.

He admitted both crimes and was jailed for 21 weeks.

He was also given a criminal behaviour order, applied for by Cumbria police, which bans him from entering Senhouse Street and Curzon Street for five years.

If he breaks the order, he could be jailed for up to five years.

Earlier this month, Joseph Langcake, 24, of Headlands Close, Workington, was given a criminal behaviour order at West Cumbria Magistrates’ Court.

The serial shoplifter is banned from entering any premises which is part of the Workington Shop Watch scheme.

He is also barred from the One Stop shop in Seaton.

The order was imposed after Langcake was convicted of three counts of shoplifting and one of threatening a shop worker with a needle. He was also sentenced to a 12-week prison sentence.

Two of the shoplifting offences were committed at Poundstretcher in Workington and the other was at One Stop, Seaton.

The fourth conviction was for assault after threatening a member of staff at Poundstretcher in Workington with a needle.

Applying for the criminal behaviour order, police said Langcake had been convicted of 44 offences on 22 occasions up until August.

Sergeant Lorraine Murphy said: “These types of offending can have a devastating impact on businesses, particularly when they are targeted by serial offenders like Langcake and Thompson.

“Langcake’s criminal behaviour takes a particular toll on shop staff who challenge his offending, only to be threatened with violence.”

PC Laura Tyson said: "Thompson is also well known to the police, having committed numerous similar offences of burglary in the past.

“I hope the stringent terms of the orders will ensure some respite from Langcake and Thompson's offending for local businesses.”